Mitigating Educational Debts in Organic Chemistry for Historically Marginalized Students via a Summer Preparatory Program

OrgoPrep, a summer preparatory program integrating multipleactive-learningelements (i.e., interactive videos with problem-solving and feedback,synchronous peer-led instruction, and collaborative work), was previouslyshown to improve academic outcomes in organic chemistry for all students.The present study examined how OrgoPrep differentially impacted studentsbelonging to historically marginalized groups, including those identifyingas women, Black, Hispanic, or first-generation as well as those classifiedas low-income. As a result of multifaceted systemic barriers, thesestudents receive lower grades and leave STEM at higher rates comparedto their peers, highlighting the need for equity-focused educationalinterventions. Drawing upon Quantitative Critical Race Theory, educationaldebts in organic chemistry owed by society were calculated for eachmarginalized group. As a result of participating in OrgoPrep, educationaldebts in GPA points were reduced or mitigated for nearly all marginalizedgroups, with the largest benefits seen in Black students. Disproportionatelylarger mitigative impacts on attrition Rmeasured via drop, failure,and withdrawal (DFW) rates Rwere detected for nearly all marginalizedgroups. Specifically, debts in the DFW rate were reduced for womenand low-income students and eliminated for Black and Hispanic students.These findings demonstrate that OrgoPrep can appreciably reduce educationaldebts due to racism and sexism with a mixed impact on debts due toclassism. Similar supplementary programs may play a key role in mitigatingthe effects of racism, sexism, and classism in the STEM pipeline.